Hollow building construction



Nov. 5, 1957 R. L. CLARY 2,811,850

HOLLOW BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed May 18, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i 1 VVENTOR. z BY AfRoymond L.Clury 614 V J I'UM 4111mm; vs

Nov. 5, 1957 R. L. CLARY 2,811,850

HOLLOW BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed May 18, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Raymond L. Clary jm dwnw/ United HOLLOW BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Raymond L. Clary, Mount Vernon, Wash.

Application May 18, 1954, Serial No. 430,666

2 Claims. (Cl. 721) composition and also disposed in a novel assembled relationship with other structural members of a building.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide pre-cast reinforced building slabs, adapted to be assembled edge to edge, and having longitudinal air passages therethrough, and containing reinforcing wires that have end portions exposed in grooves or channels in the adjoining edge surfaces of the slabs within which grooves a joint sealing material may be applied after the slabs have been assembled.

It is also an object of the invention to provide pre-cast slabs of the character above stated, that provide for the ventilation of the walls of the building structure which they form and also which provide that heating or cooling air may be delivered therethrough to various parts of the building or structure comprised by the slabs.

It is also an object of the invention to form pre-cast slabs of a novel composition of material that will permit it to receive nails without danger of cracking or chipping and will give lightness to the slab.

Further objects of the invention reside in the details of construction of the pre-cast units, in their assembled relationship and in their mode of'use, as will hereinafter be fully described.

' In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details ofconstruction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

' Fig. 1 is an end View of a building slab, embodied by the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, a part being broken out to shorten the length of the view.

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the slab shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end view of a pre-cast slab, designated as a floor slab.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, cross-sectional detail illustrating the manner of protecting the ends of reinforcing wires in a mold when the plastic composition of material is being cast to form the present slab.

Fig. 6 is a vertical, cross-section illustrating the assembly of slabs of the present character in a building.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of a building having floors and walls formed of pre-cast slabs embodied by the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional detail of a wall with nailing plate applied for support of roof rafters.

Fig. 9 is a sectional detail showing the mortar key that seals the joint between slabs and anchors the ends of reenforcing wires therein.

In the making of the present pre-cast building slabs, I preferably use a composition of material that is relatively light in weight, as compared with that of concrete; that will readily set up, and when set and dry will rates Patent 2,811,850 Patented Nov. 5, 1957 easily receive nails. The composition now being used comprises the following ingredients in the proportionate amounts given:

3 cubic feet of pumice stone reduced to form of ordinary sand; 2 cubic feet of wood shavings and one cubic foot of Portland Cement; these materials being thoroughly mixed together dry and then having water added thereto and thoroughly mixed therewith to produce what is referred to as a heavy mix. The mixture is immediately poured into vertical molds and agitated to cause expulsion of all air bubbles and the filling of all voids. When dry, the mold is stripped from the slab, and if the slabs are for outside use, then their outer surfaces may be water proofed.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The present invention resides primarily in the pre-casting of certain forms of slab that are designed for use with others of like kind to form the walls or floors of a building, such as a residence, granary, garage, or any other structure wherein such slabs are suitable for use.

While the dimensions of the present slabs are not critical, it is preferred that they be made in dimensions that are not inconsistent with standard building practice. For example, it has been found to be desirable that the present slabs be made approximately eight feet long, two feet wide and eight inches thick if they are to be used for the making of vertical walls. If to be used for floors, the thickness can be reduced to four inches with safety.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, it is herein shown that the slab, designated in its entirety by numeral 10, has a width that is about'three times its thickness. The slabs are substantially rectangular in crosssection and the longitudinal edge surfaces of each is formed along the center with a channel 12. Also, formed through each slab, from end to end, are cylindrical passages 13. In the slab of Fig. 1, there are four of such passages 13, equally spaced from each other and from the side surfaces of the slab. In a slab that is approximately 8" x 24" in cross-section, these longitudinal holes or passages 13 should have a diameter of about four inches. Also, the edge channels 12 should be four inches across, and preferably of the semi-hexagonal form in which they are shown in Fig. 1. Each slab 10 has flat opposite end surfaces, at right angles to the planes of its opposite side and edge surfaces, and it is preferred, for ornamental effect, that the longitudinal corners, at that side which is selected to be outside of the slab, be beveled as shown at 15 in Fig. 1. Also, the slab is formed, lengthwise of its outer surface and midway of its beveled corners, with a V-shaped groove 16. In the finished wall, made up of these slabs, the grooving adds to the attractiveness of the structure.

Each of the slabs 10 is reinforced with wire mesh 18 placed in the slab at one side of the holes or passages therethrough. The wires of this reenforcing are disposed horizontally and vertically, and the ends 18x of horizontal wires are extended into the open channels 12 at opposite side edges of the slab, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

It will here be explained that in molding a slab of the present kind, the plastic composition of material is poured into a vertical mold such as that designated at 20 in Fig. 5. Before pouring the material into the mold, the reenforcing material 18 is placed in position and the ends of the horizontal wires thereof are enclosed between two longitudinal strips 2222, as shown in Fig. 5, which may be secured to the end wall of the mold as herein shown. When the mold is stripped from the formed slab, the strips 22-22 are extracted from the slab and thus they provide the longitudinal channels 12 therein with the ends 18x of the wires exposed as in Figs. 1 and 4.

opening into the lower :end portions :of :the passages :13;

these holes being about sixjnchueszfrom the :lower .ends of the :s'labs.

Also, grooves as-at lfizaretcutor fonned;at thevupper end .of :the: slabs in the end surfacesof 'zthe 'web :portions between .channels and massages, .as shown: in iEigs; 1 and 2, to provide cornmunication (between passages $13.

:Assuming ithatwvall .slabs E and zfioor sla'bs 10) .as above described have been-lprovided, Zone-arrangement for use has been .illustmted'infiig 7. In :this'v'iew a footing :and foundation is :designated rate!) :and includes ahorizontal'channelfitlx. Disposed thereon-ztoiform the building walls tare slabs .10; these .being placed edge ;to edge, closely together as understood by reference to Fig. '9. After being so arranged, adjoining-slabs are tiedtogether by filling the registered'channels'12 thereof with an easy flowing cement which embeds the exposed ends 18x of the 'reenforcing wires therein. When this joint sealing cement hasset, it not-only seals the joints but alsoprovides .a joining key 31 for the reenforcing wires-10f adjacent slabs. The cement will also flow into the channel 30x and provide alock betweenthe footing andithe slabs.

.After the walls have beenbuilt up, a plate as shown at 32'can .be applied and secured by nails driven therethrough into the slab ends. Any selected roof structure, as at 33 in Fig. 8, can then be built upon the walls and plates.

The width of'the top surface of the foundation is made suflicient to provide a shelf 34.along the inside of the slab walls, .for support thereon of the ends of floor slabs, 2101', as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In some instances the slabs may extend the full distance between opposite walls. In other instances they may be rested at their inner ends upon a support. Such a support might be made likethe beam 40 herein shown, and which-is of upwardly faciug'channel form as seen inFigs. 6and 7. In such .case, this channel beam maybe used'as a'duct for delivery of heating or ventilating airwhich can be discharged therefrom to the longitudinal passages '13 of the floor slabs 10 through holes 42 formedtherein for this purpose. This aircan be forced to the outer building walls and discharged into baseboard heating ducts 45,as.seen.in Fig. 6. From the-ducts- 45, the air might 'be dissipated'in part into the enclosed area and another ,part delivered into the ducts 13 of the side walls either through the holes 24, or other special holes 48 provided in the slabs 10, as shown in Fig. 6.

The holes 24 provided in the slabs are primarily for aiding ventilation within the walls. This is further facilitated by the boring of holes 49 through the plate 32 as shown in Fig. 7. Anchor bolts 50 may be provided in the upper ends of the keys '31 for passage up through the plates.32'for'their securement.

While I have specified certain desired dimensions, and also have a designated a 'certain formula for the composition, I do not desire to be restricted to such dimensions or formula. Slabs may be made in many different sizes, and they-might be cast of concrete without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a building; a side wall comprising a plurality of precast concrete slabs of like dimensions disposed evenly edge to .edge to provide the wall, said slabs each having aplurality of air ducts from lower to upper ends thereof, and said air ducts of the wall having inter-communicationp'orts providing passages between the air ducts, and having'air ports open to the inside of the wall adjacent the lower ends of the slabs, and a flooriformed of precast slabs disposed in edge to edge relationship; and each formed .with longitudinal air ducts opening to the ends thereof; said floor slabs being spaced slightly at their ends from the side wall, and a hollow base board member applied to said floor and side wall over the inwardly opening 'air ports at the lower ends of the wall slabs, providing a passage therein whereby the air ducts of the floor slabs, as opening to the ends thereof, and those of the wall forming slabs are connected'for floor and side wall ventilation.

2. In a building as in claim 1 including also a hot air .duct supporting said floor slabs thereon, and said floor slabs having ports in their lower sides opening from the air ducts thereon into the hot air duct to provide for hot air flow'into the floor and wall slabs.

References Cited in thefile of this .patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 738,643 Van Camp. Sept. 8, 1903 1,086,031 Davis Feb. 3, 1914 1,597,167 Pace Aug. 24, 1926 1,618,696 Bemis Feb. 22, .1927 2,007,689 Merrill July 9, 1935 2,107,523 Coe Feb. 8, 1938 2,160,773 Wolfe May 30,1939 2,181,814 Knapp Nov. 28, 1939 2,184,714 'Freeman --Dec. 26, 1939 

